Tuesday, 6 August 2013

Why youth work is a Total Adventure!

I have just returned from being a volunteer on a week in the Peak District with an organisation called Adventure Plus (A+).

The week was for teenagers and was an activity week with a Christian ethos.
The week was amazing, where young people got to develop their skills at climbing, kayaking and mountain biking (to mention a few). There was also opportunities to discuss the topic of trust and then move onto the topic of trusting God.
I want to use this blog to highlight what to me rung so true I had to take a step back.

As youth workers we often have sleepless nights, long meetings and alot of thinking on the spot. It becomes far to easy to focus on what "we" have done to get the meeting running, what "we" have done to get the worship ready. What I was reminded of while away with A+ was that actually it is not about "we" or "us" it is all about God.

While on this week away there was an opportunity for an "extra" worship session. It was optional, the alternative was playing cards / hanging out with your mates. Despite this around half the young people turned up to this session. We sang some songs and then invited anyone to pray. It started with some of the leaders praying, and then the young people took over. This was the moment I stood back.

It was the fact that not only was this an "optional" worship session, but the kids were not asked to pray, they were invited. God was the Youth Worker here. I found myself smiling, amazed that the prayers these young followers of Jesus were praying rung true in my life also.
It was so encouraging, and at that point I was in awe of God who can and does do immeasurably more than we can imagine.

Yes, there is a time for planning, yes there is a time for preparation. But we need to leave more time for God, God who cannot be contained, should not be contained.
These young people were passionate about Jesus and how he loved them. They were worshipping and wanted more of him. In the middle of a busy, tiring week it was this praising that reminded me that us "Youth Leaders" are also sheep being led by the greatest "Youth Leader" of all.

The sleepless nights now seem worth it.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31